Darjeeling

Darjeeling (2150 m) is universally famous for its Tea industry and the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On a clear day the panorama of the Singalila mountain range with Mt. Khangchendzonga is a photographer’s delight.

Every traveler’s delight, Darjeeling has its share of history, scenic beauty, ethnicity that rivals every corner of the world. Darjeeling remains a popular tourist destination flocked by both domestic and foreign visitors with equal fervor.

Let us take you to a brief tour of Darjeeling with some highlights of standard tours and some mesmerizing pictures.

Darjeeling Himalayan Railway – DHR (Toy Train)

A nineteenth century locomotive engineering feat, this 88 km long narrow gauge steam railway was constructed between 1879 and 1881 and was responsible for the development of Darjeeling as a hill station. It remains one of the best ways to see the Darjeeling hills. This train was granted a World Heritage Status by the UNESCO in 1999. The grandeur of the awe-inspiring landscape of Darjeeling region can be fully enjoyed from the thrilling ride on this train as it labours uphill at about 10 mph. Presently the steam “Toy Train” chugs in short distances and can be enjoyed as a joy ride for a distance of 8 km one way which takes about an hour! For longer trips diesel engines is used.

Tiger Hill

Standing at an altitude of 2,585 metres, this picturesque hill is famous for the magnificent view of the sunrise and the wide range of the Himalayas which stretches as far as the eye can see. For the Hindus, Tiger Hill also houses a very sacred worship place. The distance is about 11 km from the main town and can be reached by vehicle or on foot. The hike can be taken from the Aloobari Road which takes about two and half hours. A car takes about forty minutes

The Yiga Choling Monastery (Ghoom Monastery)

This is one of the oldest monasteries in Darjeeling built in 1850 AD by a Mongolian monk called Lama Sherab Gyatso. It belongs to the Gelugpa Sect (The Yellow Hat) and is famous for the statue of Maitreya Buddha (The Coming Buddha) and rare Buddhist scriptures. It is 8 km away from the town.

The Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI) and PNH Zoological Park

Established in 1954 after the conquest of Mt. Everest, the institute imparts mountaineering courses to the enthusiasts at all levels. It houses an impressive museum displaying artifacts and tools used in some historical mountain expeditions while giving rare insights on Himalayan people, flora and fauna. Adjacent to the HMI is the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park housing high altitude wild life: the Siberian Tiger, Himalayan Black Bear, Red Pandas, Barking Deer, Snow Leopard, Common Leopard etcetera, lazing around in their natural habitat. Also within the same precinct is the Museum of Natural History, containing a representative and comprehensive collection of the fauna of the region. The specimens are displayed in true to life form of all birds, reptiles, insects and other animals found in different altitudes of the Himalayas

Tea Plantations

The tea plantations date back to the mid 19th century as part of a British development of the area. The tea growers of the area developed distinctive hybrids of black tea and fermenting techniques, with many blends considered among the world’s finest.